ANN ARBOR — The University of Michigan is one of six campuses examined in detail in a new report by the American Civil Liberties Union and Amnesty International USA that accuses colleges of restricting pro-Palestinian speech and responding to protests with excessive discipline and police force.

The report, released September 23, draws on a two-year investigation covering 46 public and 34 private colleges and universities across 28 states and Washington, D.C. Its authors say the responses to protests over Israel’s war in Gaza have harmed students’ rights to free speech, association and assembly. U of M disputes the allegations that it acts against students because of their political views.

At U of M, students and other demonstrators have called on the university to divest from companies with ties to Israel. The report describes a series of university actions affecting that advocacy, including the removal of protest signs, restrictions on online discussions, disciplinary proceedings and orders barring some protesters from campus. It also criticizes police tactics used during demonstrations, including the use of pepper spray and riot shields when officers cleared a pro-Palestinian encampment from the Diag in 2024.

U of M spokesperson Paul Corliss rejected the suggestion that the university targets a particular viewpoint.

“U of M does not restrict speech or take disciplinary action based on political viewpoint,” Corliss said in a statement provided to MLive. “University policies apply regardless of cause or message and are intended to protect both free expression and the ability of our community to learn, teach and work.

Findings show concerted efforts to censor and retaliate against speech in support of Palestinian rights in colleges and universities

“When demonstrations threaten safety, damage property, block access or substantially disrupt university operations, the university has a responsibility to respond,” he added. “Law enforcement and disciplinary decisions are based on the circumstances and actions involved, not the viewpoints being expressed.”

The dispute centers in part on how the university distinguishes protected political expression from conduct it says disrupts campus operations. The ACLU and Amnesty argue that universities have applied restrictions and punishments more harshly to pro-Palestinian activism than to comparable protests in the past. The organizations also accuse the federal government of pressuring campuses to curtail lawful criticism of Israel under the banner of combating antisemitism. Those are the report’s findings; U of M maintains that its rules apply regardless of a protest’s message.

The report comes amid a separate dispute over U of M’s use of campus bans against protesters. The ACLU of Michigan sued the university in February 2025 on behalf of people barred from campus after participating in pro-Palestinian demonstrations. Court records cited by the Detroit News indicate that the parties reached a settlement following a September 17 conference, though its terms were not immediately available.

The campus protests have unfolded alongside allegations of vandalism and intimidation involving some activists. Eight people linked to U of M face federal charges in a separate case involving alleged threats and property damage. Those allegations are distinct from the report’s assessment of students’ speech and protest rights.

Jennifer Turner, principal human rights researcher in the ACLU’s Human Rights Program, urged universities to protect students from unwarranted punishment for their views and to resist federal pressure to restrict Palestinian rights advocacy. The report calls for campus protest rules that apply equally to all viewpoints and tighter limits on the use of law enforcement during demonstrations.